Electric incandescent lamp.



PATENTED AUG. 11, 1903.

0. H. CARTER. ELECTRIC INCANDESGENT LAMP.

I V I wwfia 33 APPLICATION FILED OUT. 15, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

mated August i1, i903;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

oIiARtEs Ii. OARTER, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK;

:ELECTRIC INCANDESCENT LAM P;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,069, dated August 11, i905:

Application filed October 15, 1902. Serial No. 127,397. (No model.)

To all whom it mayconccrn:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, borough of Brooklyn, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Incandescent Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means in connection with a lamp having a screw-threaded mounting, cap, or butt adapted to be screwed into a socket of the usual type, whereby the electric current passing to the lamp may be regulated or entirely out off by a movement of the lamp bulb or body in some direction not rotary relatively to the butt.

Various improvements have been hitherto proposed for regulating the supply of the current to a lamp of the common type by a bodily movement of the bulb; but these devices required a rotary movement of the bulb and connected parts, and this frequently loosened the lamp in the socket to such an extent that the same was liable to jar out of the socket. This was not infrequently the case 011 shipboard and in other locations subject to con-- siderable vibration. In cases where the vibrationwas not sufficient to cause the lamp to fall from the socket the lamp was loosened, nevertheless, to such an extent as to cause the same to flicker, due to its imperfect connection with its socket. -Were means provided whereby the lamp might be extinguished or lighted by a bodily movement not impairing its security in the socket a valuable improve ment over the present means of regulation would be accomplished, and the advantages of the keyless socket used would not be largely offset by correlative disadvantages in the control of the lamps. A common method of wiring is to employ in a chandelier, for example, keyless lamp-sockets and locate a switch for the whole chandelier at any convenient place upon an adjacent wall of the room. Keyless sockets have many advantages of simplicity and low cost over sockets provided with a key. In the connection stated, however, they render the independent control of each lamp impossible. The group must be lighted or extinguished as a whole. The only method of extinguishing any lamp of the group independently of the others is to unscrew the same in its socket until its electrical connection therewith is broken, which unscrewing results in the objections before stated.

For overcoming these difficulties my invention consists in the combination, with an electric-lamp body, of a mounting for the same, means for guiding the lamp-body longitudinally of the mounting, and means actuated by the lamp-body for controlling the supply of current thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a lamp constructed according to my invention and employing a single filament. Fig. 2 is a lamp also embodying my invention, but employing two filaments. Fig. 3 is a similar lamp employing three filaments. Fig. 4 is a vertical central section on line 44, Fig. 3, showing the parts in position for lighting the small filament. Fig. 5 is a similar section showing the parts in position for lighting the second or middle filament, and

Fig. 6 is a similar section showing the parts in position for lighting the third or large filament.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the bulb of an electric incandescent lamp. To the same is applied a head having a suitable exterior shell or receptacle a, of brass or other suitable material, and an interior body a, of plaster or other suitable non-conductor. The lamp is provided with a single filament a one end of which passes through the body a of the head into connection With a contactplate a arranged at the exterior of the head and insulated from the shell a of the same. This insulation may be accomplished by providing the shell with an opening of convenient size, so as to expose the insulating material beneath, the contact-piece a being then mounted upon the body a, within said open ing, by cement or other suitable means. B indicates the mounting, cap, or butt of the lamp, which is preferably made in cup shape and adapted to fit conveniently over the head of the lamp, so that the latter is guided within the mounting. The mounting is provided with the usual screw-threaded shell a, adapted to be screwed into a socket O of the usual keyless, key, or any suitable type, to which the electric current is supplied. At its lower portion or outer end the brass shell 0. is preferably provided with one or more contacttongues a, which form contacts adapted to make connection with the contact-piece a when the head of the lamp is moved into proper position. For guiding the lamp-body and limiting its movement relatively to the mounting the shell a of the latter is provided with a longitudinal slot 1) and the shell a of the lamp-head is provided with a screw or other suitable stud b projecting into said slot. From one end of the filament extends a leadin -in wire 19 through the body a of the head into a suitable space between the upper end of said head and the interior of the mounting. The said conductor is connected with a contact-piece b" at the extreme upper or inner end of the mounting, which contact is adapted to make connection in the usual manner, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, with the usual contact-spring b of the lampsocket.

The lamp is shown in Fig. l with the tongues a in contact with the contact-piece a In this condition the lamp is lighted. WVhen it is desired to extinguish the same, the lamp-body (by the bulb) is simply pushed inwardly. The contact-piece a is thereby carried out of 0011- tact with the tongues a The circuit through the socket and lamp, when the latter is light ed, is as follows: line-Wire c, contact-spring b contact b leading-in wire b filament a leading-in wire a, contact a contact a shell a shell (Z of the lamp-socket, and line-wire WVhen it is desired to light the lamp, it is merely necessary to give the same a pull downwardi. 6., outwardas if to pull the same from its socket. The lamp-head is thereby moved outwardly and contact a carried beneath the contact-tongues a It is not necessary that two contact-springs a be employed. One is sufficient. Two are employed, however, to secure greater reliability of connection.

The stud b serves for limiting the longitudinal movement of the lamp in the mbunting. It is obvious, however, that in place of this stud b and its slot 1) in the shell B any suitable impositive means, suificient, however, to retain the lamp in place against the ordinary shocks and jars of use, may be employed.

The lamp shown in Fig. 2 is the same as that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that two filaments and two corresponding contacts on the head of the lamp are employed. One of the leading-in Wires branches before it enters the bulb-chamber, the large filament 61 being connected to one branch and the small filament (Z to the other branch. The two cor- It is preferable to arrange the contact for the large filament at the inner or upper parti. c. the uppermost of the twoso that the full light of the lamp is obtained by pulling the lamp in outward direction. When the lamp is pushed in, it passes into the cap or mounting to such extent as to carry the contact (Z out of connection with the contact a, thereby extinguishing the lamp. hen it is desired to light the small filament, the lamp is pulled out to a slight degree-2'. e. until contact cFmakes connection with contact a For some purposes it is preferable to arrange the contacts d d at such distance apart that the contact tongues 00' may, when between said contacts, be out of connection with either. This construction is more particularly shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 with a lamp having three contacts 6 c e.

3 shows a lamp having three filaments. This lamp is also illustrated in section (with parts of the bulb and filaments broken away) in its different positions in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. The filaments c e c of this lamp are connected with corresponding contacts 6 e (2 the contact for the larger filament being preferably the innermost, as indicated, so that when the lamp is pulled out the full light of the same is obtained and when located at the proper intermediate point, so that contacttongues a make connection with contact 6 the second or medium-strength filament is lighted, and when the lampis pushed farther in the small filament 6 only is in incandescence. Vhen the lamp is pushed entirely in, contact-tongues a are located out of contact with the contact-piece a" and the lamp is eX- tinguished. The main leading-in wire 6 of this lamp is divided into three branches, and three separate leading-in wires 6 e" e are employed, which connect the filaments respectively with the contact-pieces.

It is obvious that any desired number of filaments and corresponding contacts may be employed, from one up. For all ordinary purposes, however, two or three filaments and contacts will be sufficient to give ali desired regulation of light strength. The lamp-head and connected parts are held in the position in the cap or mounting in the particular po-' sition to which they are set in any case, partly or wholly by the friction between the head of the lamp and the mounting or by any suitable positive means. For obtaining a secure hold the contact -tongues may be made of suitable tension and so adjusted as to bear upon the head. To secure a more positive engagement, the contact-plates, as e e e, may be concave at their face, as indicated, as may also the spaces between the same, and the tongues a are in such case provided with a rounded nose portion f, adapted to engage said concave contact -plates and similarlyrecessed intermediate portions of the lamphead. This construction also facilitates the operation of the lamp from one contact to the next in a step-by-step movement, so that the obtaining of the desired light is rendered easier and more reliable. It is also obvious that the position of the contacts 6 e 6 may be reversed, so that the greater light is obtained by pushing the lamp inwardly instead of pulling the same in outward direction, as described. The contacts may be arranged in any desired order.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with an electric lamp, of a mounting for the same, means for guiding the lamp longitudinally of the mounting, means for limiting longitudinal movement of the lamp in said mounting, and means actuated by the lamp within the limits of its movement in said mounting for controlling the supply of current to the lamp, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a lamp-socket, of a mounting adapted to be disconnected th erefrom by rotation, an electric lamp, means for guiding the same longitudin ally of the mounting, means for preventing rotary movement of the lamp in said mounting, and means actuated by the lamp during its longitudinalmovement in said mounting for controlling the supply of current to the lamp, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with an electric lamp,

of an insulated contact-plate located on the head of the same, a conductor connecting one end of the filament of said lamp with said contact-plate,amountingforsaidlamp,means for guiding the lamp longitudinally of the mounting, an insulated contact-plate on the mounting, connected with the opposite end of said filament, and a contact-spring on said mounting adapted to make connection with the contact-plate of the head, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination, with asuitable mounting, of an electric lamp connected therewith and capable of movement longitudinally thereto, means for preventing rotary movement of said lamp in said mounting, a plu rality of filaments in said lamp, a plurality of contact-plates carried by the lamp and connected with said filaments respectively, and means connected with said mounting for making connection with said contacts successively during the longitudinal movement of the lamp, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a suitable mounting, of an electric lamp connected therewith and capable of movement longitudinally thereto, means for preventing rotary movement of said lamp in said mounting, a plurality of filaments in said lamp, a plurality of contact-plates carried by the lamp and connected with the filaments respectively, the contact for the larger filament being arranged innermost, and means connected with said mounting for making connection with said contacts successively during the longitudinal movement of the lamp, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a suitable mounting, of an electric lamp connected therewith and capable of movement longitudinally thereto, a plurality of filaments in said lamp, a plurality of contact-plates carried by the lamp and connected with the filaments respectively, the contact-plates and spaces between the same on the lamp being concaved or recessed, and contact-springs connected with said mounting and adapted to engage said contact-plates and the spaces on the head between the same, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. CARTER.

Vitnesses:

HENRY J. SUHRBIER, O. BRADWAY. 

